Chapter 226: Peacemaker
Your circle is truly chaotic.
“Loyal and righteous!”
Gu Yansheng looked at Ye Jiqing with newfound respect. Don’t underestimate her love for money, but at critical moments, she was willing to risk her life. If that’s not love, what is?
But how did she get in touch with Xu Enzeng?
“She probably didn’t know Xu Enzeng at the time, right? How did she end up in his bed?”
“Through connections inquiring.” Ding Mocun smiled. “It wasn’t during the Japanese occupation then. Central Statistics Bureau didn’t need to hide. Xu Enzeng’s residence wasn’t that confidential; anyone with a bit of capability could inquire about it.
The Ye family was a wealthy merchant family in Shanghai at the time. With some relationships and spending some money, the place was easy to find.
A noble miss from Shanghai delivering herself to serve him—how could that not mesmerize old lecher Xu Enzeng into losing his way?
But Xu Enzeng wouldn’t just sleep with her once and release prisoner; he definitely demanded money too. Isn’t that right?”
“No wonder then.” Gu Yansheng nodded in realization, his smile meaningful. “If she finds out about this, it’ll really be lighting a powder keg.”
Ding Mocun burst out laughing. “Exactly the reason! I’m waiting to watch a big tantrum drama!”
“What does she look like? Any photographs? Let me see. Li Shiqun’s woman, tsk.” Gu Yansheng was direct.
“Her looks aren’t particularly outstanding. For Li Shiqun, I think she’s a friend in adversity; it has nothing to do with whether she’s good-looking.”
Ding Mocun simply stood up, took a document from the drawer, and handed it over. “Here, take a look. Taken a few days ago.”
With photographs, it confirmed the person was completely targeted. Gu Yansheng opened the folder and looked at the woman’s photograph inside; sure enough, her appearance was just ordinary.
Glancing at the information, it clearly listed several highly suspicious names. Ding Mocun’s markings meant he suspected these were West Shanghai Intelligence Department people, or even possibly confirmed.
As long as they were anti-Japanese, Gu Yansheng was willing to offer some help, but the premise was not dragging himself down.
Try to save them if possible; there was still room.
“She’s pretty ordinary.” Gu Yansheng handed back the information. “Are you sure you want to report to the Japanese?”
“Of course. Why else would I go to all this trouble? Don’t try to dissuade me.” Ding Mocun said vigilantly. “Don’t even think about it! I know you have a good relationship with Li Shiqun, but don’t get involved. He started targeting me first; I can’t just sit and wait for death.”
Gu Yansheng sneered. “I’m too lazy to care about your fights, but I have to advise you: think thrice. Things may not turn out as well as you think. It’s not because of my good relationship with Li Shiqun that I’m advising you; it’s because I have good relationships with both of you.”
“What do you mean?” Ding Mocun frowned. “If I expose his collusion with Military Statistics Bureau, do you think he’ll have any room to turn the tables?”
“Plenty.” Gu Yansheng sneered, then seriously analyzed for Ding Mocun. “This woman is Military Statistics Bureau; Li Shiqun can’t escape involvement, that’s true. But if you arrest her, what will Li Shiqun say?
Will he admit he’s Military Statistics Bureau? Admit he helped Military Statistics Bureau? A hundred percent impossible.
If he says he didn’t do it, what will you do? Surely you don’t plan to interrogate Li Shiqun?
Even if Li Shiqun had arranged with this woman in advance, saying if something happens, claim she’s the one he sent to Military Statistics Bureau to gather information, and your arrest ruins it—what then?”
Ding Mocun pulled a long face. “That’s not up to him. I won’t interrogate him, but if I arrest this woman and send her Military Statistics Bureau information to the Japanese, she won’t hold out.
You don’t understand interrogation methods. Even if her feelings are ironclad, once in No. 76, I can make her talk.
As long as she talks and implicates Li Shiqun.
Even if Li Shiqun has Haruki backing him, would Haruki still back him then?
I’ll send her to Gendarmerie Headquarters, not to Haruki. With Gendarmerie Headquarters stepping in, a lieutenant colonel can’t protect him.”
Gu Yansheng waved his hand. “Interrogating her would completely ruin things.
If Li Shiqun gets dragged into the Japanese interrogation room, regardless of whether he can clear himself of this.
I’m asking you: what about you covering for Huang Jinrong’s people smuggling in West Shanghai? How will you handle that? Won’t Li Shiqun bite you?
How will you explain to the Japanese?”
Ding Mocun annoyedly tsked, only then remembering this knot.
Actually, part of the smuggling money subsidized his subordinates, of course the leaders took the big shares, but Agent Headquarters had many people; split among so many, the big shares weren’t much.
Several months’ income wasn’t as much as one smuggling trip with Gu Yansheng—no, not even half a trip.
And yet these meager earnings had become trouble.
If he didn’t report Li Shiqun to the Japanese, Li Shiqun would deny it; if he did report and they interrogated, trouble would emerge. With such good chips, now he was stuck in a dead end. The more Ding Mocun thought, the angrier he got.
Slamming the sofa armrest, “Damn it, fuck! Worst case, mutual destruction! I didn’t start this; he targeted me first. I can’t just sit and wait for death, right? When he targeted me, why didn’t he think I’d report him?”
Gu Yansheng sighed. “If he targets you, at worst you step aside. Would you report the smuggling to the Japanese?”
“So what do you say to do?” Ding Mocun said angrily. “Anyway, I can’t let him do this to me; I can’t swallow this insult.”
Gu Yansheng thought and said, “Li Shiqun is definitely going too far here. How about this: I’ll mediate, make him withdraw, give back what’s yours. Harmony brings wealth; no need to make it so tense.”
“Will he listen to you?” Ding Mocun rolled his eyes and sneered. “He’s about to cripple me; asking him to give up now is impossible.”
Gu Yansheng said straightforwardly, “Tell him about this, I’ll talk to him, say you’re giving him face. For the woman’s sake, he’ll know your intent; you won’t lose face either—it’s you giving her a way out.”
Ding Mocun straightened up, serious. “Big problem here. If you tell him, he might agree first, but after today, if he notifies her to run and denies it later, continuing to target me—what then?”
“He won’t. He fights you, but with me, he’ll keep some credibility, right?” Gu Yansheng raised a brow. “We do plenty of business; he won’t cut off his financial path for this? This is about protecting his own woman.”
“No.” Ding Mocun thought it unreliable and rejected outright, explaining more. “I trust you, but not him. He’s a thorough villain who turns hostile and denies everything. I’ve suffered at his hands.
Getting me from Nationalist controlled area—you know how sweetly he talked then? Calling ‘brother, brother’ nonstop, all promises saying as long as I come over, he’ll follow my lead.
The result? That very night of action, he sold my information to the newspaper company! He wanted Boss Dai to know exactly who to blame, to take my life!
Oh, using my intelligence to claim credit with the Japanese, while escaping himself, using me to take the fall—all in one night.
Recalling this, Ding Mocun was full of resentment, truly bitter inside, couldn’t tell ordinary people, so he vented to Gu Yansheng.
Gu Yansheng acted as an emotional trash bin this time. He knew this; Shen Bao’s Liang Youwei mentioned it, and he guessed it was Li Shiqun who leaked it.
Speaking of which, Li Shiqun was truly a dog. Now, just one step away from rescuing that group, he was tripped by his own past misdeeds.
Gu Yansheng would try harder; he couldn’t let Ding Mocun arrest them. Into No. 76 meant no way out, unless they betrayed.
Betraying could still save their lives.
